are women as strong as men in the lower body pound for pound?

[rainbow22]

i think it would make sense that girls could generate more lower body power on a pound for pound basis as this is the center of gravity for a female and typically women have larger quads and hamstrings than men when weight and proportion are factored in.

 

[The_Monster]

I think it was proved somewhere (scientifically, not on a chat board ) that woman are stronger than men overall. Their muscle fiber percentages make up gives them a strength advantage in every muscle group, but due to their reduced testosterone levels they dont develop enough muscle to reap the benefits of thier fiber ratio advantage...

 

[Gladiola]

Muscle fiber is muscle fiber
I read in my ACE Personal Trainer manual that women & men are equally strong POUND FOR POUND OF MUSCLE (obviously the average 140# woman will have less muscle mass than the average 140# male) - when the numbers were adjusted for lean body mass, muscle is muscle on men & women & they were equally strong.

I'd be happy to look up where the study was conducted & post that if interested.

 

[Gladiola]

I agree that fiber is fiber, but to assess one person's strength compared to another person, wouldn't the ratio of types of fibers have to be considered?

Good point. They did a strength test, not muscular endurance test.

I remember reading years ago that women have more slow twitch than fast twitch fibers relative to men. But I read in my ACE manual that there is no difference between the sexes regarding predominant muscle fibers. Hmmm

I suppose if they just tested MANY men & many women -> when averaged out, the genders were equally strong pound for pound of total muscle fiber.

 

[Cheetarah]

I know there's gotta be a such thing as genetics determining which type of fiber predominates in any given individual. I've seen the evidence in my sport of inline speed skating. I've been observing that the really fast, powerful sprinters tend to have thicker, more muscular legs (myself included) and the skaters who seem to go forever and ever, with tons of endurance, yet do not have a lot of explosive power for sprinting, tend to have thinner legs, less muscle mass on their legs in general. And I've had at least one experienced trainer tell me I have a genetic propensity to develop short twitch muscle fibers, which are the thicker ones. Definitely an interesting subject. I'd be interested to see any studies done.

 

[Gladiola]

I know there's gotta be a such thing as genetics determining which type of fiber predominates in any given individual

Oh yes, that's true, no question. There is a genetic component & some ppl do have more type 1 (fast) then type 2 (endurance). I just don't think there is a differentiation along gender-lines (according to what I read).

 

[NY Muscle]

Men are stronger in all lifts, because women cant keep their mouths shut long enough to generate the proper thoraxic pressure to get a maximal lift.


LMFAO

im j/k of course!!

 

[Cheetarah]

Oh yes, that's true, no question. There is a genetic component & some ppl do have more type 1 (fast) then type 2 (endurance). I just don't think there is a differentiation along gender-lines (according to what I read).

Ah, I see. Makes sense to me, purely individual genetics.

The topic about whether or not women have stronger lower bodies than men has come up many times and I've always wondered whether or not there was any truth to that or not. What you said you read in your ACE manual makes sense.

 

[Cheetarah]

Men are stronger in all lifts, because women cant keep their mouths shut long enough to generate the proper thoraxic pressure to get a maximal lift.


LMFAO

im j/k of course!!

I missed that the first time! Okay, okay, I'll HAVE to admit, that WAS a pretty good one.

 

[Arioch]

On a pound for pound basis, if one is comparing 1rm's, women seem to be weaker overall. If one were to compare the top ten of each class, both OL and PL, the men's numbers always average significantly higher. This is true even in countries where the screening program for potential athletes is incredible, such as Bulgaria, where athletes are eliminated from the training program early on for things such as poor bone structure, etc.

There is no significant difference between the sexes with respect to fiber type. Numerous studies are available to anyone via medline that support this.